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St. John Fisher University Athletics

FB
35
Winner Utica UTICA 5-5 , 3
20
St. John Fisher ST. JOHN 3-7 , 2
Winner
Utica UTICA
5-5 , 3
35
Final
20
St. John Fisher ST. JOHN
3-7 , 2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UTICA Utica 7 7 7 14 35
ST. JOHN St. John Fisher 7 6 0 7 20

Game Recap: Football |

Football Ends Season With 35-20 Loss To Utica

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The Utica Pioneers rode a strong end to the first half and an even better start of the second to a 35-20 victory over the St. John Fisher University football team on Saturday afternoon at Growney Stadium. 

The Cardinals, who suffered their fourth straight loss, closed the season 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Empire 8. Utica finished 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference. 

How It Happened

  • The Cardinals led 7-0 early in the first quarter after sophomore quarterback Ryan Whitney capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end James Kennedy. Utica tied the game about three minutes later on quarterback Brett Fuller's 33-yard strike to wide receiver Antonio Cianfarani and the ensuing extra point. 

  • Senior specialist Kyle Farewell made a career-long 46-yard field goal to put Fisher ahead 10-7 early in the second quarter. He made a 26-yard kick later in the quarter to extend Fisher's lead to 13-7. 

  • Utica pulled ahead just before halftime, as Fuller threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tyshawn Taylor with 16 seconds left in the second quarter to end a nine-play, 73-yard drive. Freddie Callo's extra point made it 14-13 Pioneers. 

  • The Pioneers added a touchdown in the third quarter and another in the fourth to go ahead two scores. Sam Florio scored on a one-yard run, while Fuller fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Kolenda for his third passing touchdown of the day. 

  • The Cardinals pulled within a score with 9:41 left in the fourth on Whitney's 17-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jackson Cusack on 4th-and-14. Farewell's extra point made it an eight-point game (28-20). 

  • After Fisher's defense forced the Pioneers to go three plays and out on consecutive drives, Whitney and the offense were driving, needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie the game. On 3rd-and-6 from the Utica 37 with about a minute left, Pioneers defensive back Isaiah Thomas intercepted a Whitney pass over the middle, effectively sealing the game.  

  • A few plays later, running back Matt Brantley ran for a 51-yard touchdown. 

Game Notes

  • Cusack set career-highs in catches (9) and receiving yards (99). He caught his third touchdown pass of the season. 

  • Kennedy caught his second career touchdown pass. 

  • Whitney completed 25 of 29 passes for 297 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

  • Senior defensive end Zach Dreisbach had 1.5 tackles for a loss of yards. He finished the season with a team-high 12. 

  • Senior defensive back Trenton Sherman recorded his first career sack. 

  • Utica defensive lineman Jordyn Davis had 3.5 sacks. 

  • Fuller completed 18 of 26 passes for 240 yards with three touchdowns. 

  • Fisher outgained Utica 365-322. 

  • Fisher gained 11 more first downs (26-15) than Utica.

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